End Times Clarity

April 28, 2013

Lesson: 2 Thessalonians 2:1–4, 8–17

Key Verse:  2 Thessalonians 2

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Introduction

The apostle Paul tells us of God, “in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (Ephesians 1:11), and of Jesus, who said of his return, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). But that has not dissuaded some in the church throughout the centuries, who try to accelerate God’s schedule for the second coming of Jesus Christ. In chapter 2 of Paul’s second epistle to the church at Thessalonica, he addresses the issue of church members who assumed the second coming of Jesus Christ was about to occur. Paul explains some of the events that will occur in church history before “the day of Christ is at hand” (2 Thessalonians 2:2).

The prophet Isaiah shows us the reason for Satan’s fall: “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 12:13–14). Paul’s description of the church in the end times shows us how Satan’s minions in the visible church exalt themselves above God and otherwise take after their spiritual father, the prince of this world. They do this in their apostasy, deceit, and unrighteousness that they teach in place of God’s Word.

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2 Thessalonians 2:1–4—The Man of Sin

Christ’s parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13) calls upon the Christian to conduct his life as if the return of Christ, the Bridegroom, could occur at any time. Matthew Henry well described the expected ‘conversation’ of the Bride of Christ:

“As Christians, we profess, not only to believe and look for, but to love and long for, the appearing of Christ, and to act in our whole conversation with a regard to it. The second coming of Christ is the centre in which all the lines of our religion meet, and to which the whole of the divine life hath a constant reference and tendency.”

In these verses, Paul is not addressing the appropriate ‘conversation’ of the Thessalonian believers, except for the upset, turmoil, and confusion among the church members because of the widespread, but false, rumors that Christ’s return was to be immediate and imminent. The Thessalonians are reminded that they are to “…gather together unto him (Jesus Christ)” (v. 1), and understand that they are to “…be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled…” (v.2), and that these rumors of Christ’s soon return did not originate with Paul and his ministry colleagues.

The church members are admonished to “let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (v. 3). This “man of sin” is of the enemy, Satan, and true to form he is one “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (v. 4), just as Satan in Isaiah 12:13–14 tried to accomplish in Heaven.

The identity of the “man of sin” has been debated for all of New Testament history. Many of the reformation fathers identified the Roman Catholic pope as the “man of sin.” The Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter XXV – Of the Church in section 6 reads:

“6. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ. (Col. 1:18, Eph. 1:22) Nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof. (Matt. 23:8–10, 2 Thess. 2:3–4, 8–9, Rev. 13:6).”

And in Chapter XXIX – Of the Lord’s Supper in sections 2, 4, and 6 describe several non-biblical practices of the Roman Catholic Church regarding the Lord’s Supper:

“2. In this sacrament, Christ is not offered up to His Father; nor any real sacrifice made at all, for remission of sins of the quick or dead; (Heb. 9:22, 25–26, 28) but only a commemoration of that one offering up of Himself, by Himself, upon the cross, once for all: and a spiritual oblation of all possible praise unto God, for the same: (1 Cor. 11:24–26, Matt. 26:26–27) so that the popish sacrifice of the mass (as they call it) is most abominably injurious to Christ’s one, only sacrifice, the only propitiation for all the sins of His elect. (Heb. 7:23–24, 27, Heb. 10:11–12, 14, 18)

“4. Private masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest, or any other alone; (1 Cor. 10:6) as likewise, the denial of the cup to the people, (Mark 14:23, 1 Cor. 11:25–29) worshipping the elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about, for adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious use; are all contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ. (Matt. 15:9)

“6. That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine, into the substance of Christ’s body and blood (commonly called transubstantiation) by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense, and reason; overthroweth the nature of the sacrament, and hath been, and is, the cause of manifold superstitions; yea, of gross idolatries. (Acts 3:21, 1 Cor. 11:24–26, Luke 24:6, 39)”

Add to these problems the Roman Catholic practices and policies surrounding Martin Luther’s October 31, 1519 posting of the 95 Theses, the bloody and violent persecution of faithful protestants during the Reformation, and even the new Pope Francis’ blatant veneration of Mary the mother of Jesus during the first few hours he was in office. We find this lends much credence to the reformers’ understanding of the “man of sin.”

A contemporary perspective on the “man of sin” was illustrated in an April 2, 2013 article by Paul Harris in The Guardian. Titled “One in Four Americans Think Obama May Be the Antichrist, Survey Says,” the article reported that a recent survey by Public Policy Polling revealed that thirteen percent of the Americans polled believe that U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama is the “the antichrist” of biblical prophecy, and that another thirteen percent of those polled were not sure if President Obama is “the antichrist.”

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Discussion: What are the specific characteristics of the “man of sin” described by Paul?

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2 Thessalonians 2:8–12—The “Man of Sin” Revealed

Of his second coming, Jesus assures his own that: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) This is not so for those who are not Christ’s.

Paul continues to clarify the end times to the Thessalonian believers by describing the second coming of Jesus Christ as it will be experienced by those who are not of Christ.  The “man of sin”, here termed “the Wicked,” will be revealed in all of his satanic lese majeste, and “…the Lord shall consume [him] with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy [him] with the brightness of his coming:” (v. 8). The terrible evil of the “man of sin” is then contrasted with the power of the returned King of Kings and Lord of Lords: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (v. 9).

Paul then turns to the description and the fate of those many people that “go along to get along” to maintain their worldly station, characterizing them as “…all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (v. 10). The unbelievers have been cursed by God because of their “deceivableness of unrighteousness”… and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (v. 11–12).

Those described in the preceding paragraph may just as likely be members of the visible church that support such things in the U.S. as the almost 56 million children murdered in the womb since 1973, who advocate for the U.S. Supreme Court to change the legal definition of marriage from God’s ordaining of marriage to be between one man and one woman for life into all sorts of other things, and denominational officials that steal church property from their congregations in order to fatten their organizational wallets or to put faithful, godly church members out on the street because they do not support the apostate actions of their denomination.

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Discussion: What are the sins that lead God to curse the end times unbelievers with delusion? In what ways do you see delusion in today’s visible church?

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2 Thessalonians 2:13–17—Encouragement to Christ’s Own

Paul concludes his clarifications of the characteristics of Christ’s second coming by again encouraging the Thessalonian believers that he and his colleagues “…give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord,” and reminding them that this thanksgiving comes from the knowledge that “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 13–14). This is in stark and glorious contrast to the destiny of those who follow in delusion the “man of sin.”

Paul’s epistle to the Romans explains to us: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God^” (Romans 10:17). The Thessalonian believers are now reminded of God’s means of bestowing upon them their faith, and are counseled to remain strong in Christ: “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle” (v. 15).

The benediction following this message from Paul summarizes the lessons of the preceding Scripture: “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work” (v. 16–17).

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Discussion: By what means does God demonstrate his bestowal of faith upon his chosen…his strengthening of his chosen to face up to the false teachers and false teaching in this world?

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Lessons are based on the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2013 by the Committee on the Uniform Series.

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[Editor’s Note: The Christian Observer Managing Editor has, with some trepidation, stepped into the shoes of Assistant Editor Dr. Robert LaMay to write the April 28, 2013 Sabbath School lesson, due to Dr. LaMay being ill. Please remember Dr. LaMay in your prayers as he recovers from his illness, and please pray for his return to the writer’s desk in God’s due time.]